Tourist Attractions in Amsterdam

Big signs near the Anne Frank Experience point towards the "Smallest Art Gallery in Amsterdam". Which is really a small, plain brick shop/large cupboard with barely passable examples of painting, and souvenirs.

The usual dreadful tat for tourists with no taste!!

Unique Suggestions: Go around the corner to what appears to be the largest ice cream shop in the world(well ok I think the majority of the impressive building is really the Westerkerk, with an ice cream shop stuck on the side, haha)

Fun Alternatives: The Winston Hotel (near the Oudekerk) boasts the 'smallest art gallery in the world', which is actually in the door of their toilet!!

There is also a serious Sunday Art Market in the Spui Square.

The famous floating Flower Market at the Singel is disappointing for me. You expect romantic boats filled with tulips - don't you? All you get tent-like selling places with bulbs, wooden tulips and souvenirs. During my visit in May (!) I say fresh, real tulips at one of the stalls and not more. And I have no idea why it is so popular and often described as one of the must see places...

Unique Suggestions: Write a VT Tourist Trap tip about it...

Fun Alternatives: in spring it's probably the best idea to go to Keukenhof, famous for its tulips and other flowers... apart from that other, smaller markets...

I went to India through Amsterdam because I wanted to visit the beautiful country of Holland and took a 7 hour stopover. But I was not allowed entry into the city because I did not have a visa, inspite of the fact that I am a landed Canadian Immigrant. All I wanted to do was take the 2 hours city tour.

Unique Suggestions: Get a visa!

Fun Alternatives: Take a trip in the airport! There is a casino and a museum to entertain you.

Quite possibly the biggest famous rip off I have ever known.
You pay €200 for a crappy tShirt (that you can get for free with a little talking), access to the "smoke and chill" area (which there are plenty of already allover the city),access to the crappy concerts and a ballot sheet with the shoppes,their entries and their addresses.
You will not be at a table with spotlights on you tasting bud and shish like your some kind of wine connesieur,with people anxiously looking up at you for your response to be scrawled quickly into their notes...they give you this list and you be on your way to the coffeeshoppes to dish out MORE of your own money and wait in line like everyone else who doe'snt even know it's Cannabis Cup time.
I'd rather wipe my ass with that €200 than pay for something that is free.
Go on HighTimes.com and look for Cannabis Cup Journal #8 every year...it gives the entries and winners of the last cup.Write them down and you can go have your own cannabis cup anytime...
Smoke a nice one for me with the money I just saved you.

Unique Suggestions: *Dampkring* / De Tweede Kamer
Barneys
Greenhouse Effect
Rokerij
Blue Velvet
Katsu

Are some of the shoppes with annual entries,the first 3 being the best.

Kadinskys is perhaps the most refined shoppe with a "classy" interior and a chill vibe,and their bud and shish is really good too.

I know if I did'nt know better and had gotten suckered out of that much money I'd be furious.

The only way I would suggest the cup to anyone is if you(they) are growing.There are seminars and displays that may prove worth your time.
You may also go on a one day pass (€50) and see what you'd like and be out.
The actual event is not as much of a "Cup" or contest as it is a convention or seminar/workshop week.

Fun Alternatives: The Cannabis Cup is a ploy to get American pothead tourists off of their lazy asses and have an excuse (if they ever needed one) to make it out to the Oudezijd of Amsterdam and spend money on the industry.
Put that €200 towards your next trip,because not many people are satisfied with only going once.

i know that many (especially) young people just come to amsterdam, go to the closest coffee shop and see red light district - i did the same when on my first time in Amsterdam - and i didn't like it all
second time i went a little bit out of the center and i love it

Unique Suggestions: of course u have to see a red light distrit but take it easy and don't hang there for too long - just a stroll will be enought and there are other places that are much nicer

Fun Alternatives: just ask some locals where to go, i found few nice places close to princenstraat otherwise the "gay" quater is the best from center in my opinion

When we arrived in Amsterdam, tired and hungry and ready for a sit-down, Leidesplein was the first place we came to that seemed to have what we wanted. We sat outside in the sunshine, then realised we were in an Irish bar, being served by an Australian waitress, and being entertained by American buskers - hardly what we'd expected of our first visit to the Netherlands! If you're looking for a taste of authentic Amsterdam, you won't find it in Leidesplein.

Unique Suggestions: Look out for the keepy-uppy man who does his thing in front of the Bulldog cafe. His football skills were brilliant. Try and avoid the singing buskers though, they were pretty tuneless!

Fun Alternatives: Some of the streets off the main square have some decent-looking restaurants and cafes. Otherwise, walk around the canals areas - Prinsengracht is nearby - there are much nicer bars and cafes there, and you will actually feel as though you are in Amsterdam!

Two streets crossing Leidsestraat, full of different kind of restaurants. Can't miss seeing them as the streets are full of signs and lights. Not enough quality for your money and the service if just horrible. (They know you only visit them once, and don't bother) Food's not autenthic, but modified to the Dutch/foreign taste. If you love spending your time in Amsterdam listerning the stories of other tourists and paying much for nothing, go ahead.

Unique Suggestions: Sometimes you just don't have any idea where to go and as these places are close by, so you push aside the negative points and wish for a delightful meal. You're hungry, so you would eat anything and the service's pretty bad in Amsterdam in general, so you don't really notice anything too bad. You feel happy to hear some of your own language after hearing too much Dutch. "At least I'm not hungry anymore", you repeat to yourself and leave the place with a half a smile on your face.

Fun Alternatives: Leave the central Adam and head towards De Pijp, Jordaan or West. What ever restaurant here will most probably be a better experience. If you're not where to go, check out the link for possible choices:

http://www.iens.nl/english/findARestaurant/?c=Amsterdam

The Damrak just did not really appeal to me. Too commercial, too many stores, fast food places.... I dunno. Just not my cup 'o tea.

Unique Suggestions: Hit the American Express office and cash in some traveler's checks.

Fun Alternatives: Anywhere else in Amsterdam!